Supermoon 2012

On Saturday, skywatchers around the world were treated to views of the so-called "supermoon," the largest full moon of the year. On May 6, the moon approached within 357,000 km (222,000 mi) of Earth, in what is scientifically known as a perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system (perigee: closest point of an elliptical orbit; syzygy: straight line made of three bodies in a gravitational system). Photographers across the globe set out to capture the event, and collected here are 24 of the most super images of this year's supermoon.

A perigee moon, or supermoon, rises behind wind turbines on May 5, 2012 near Palm Springs, California. The bright light of the full moon will hide all but the brightest meteors of the Eta Aquarid meteor shower, the remnant debris trail of Halley's Comet.#

The brightly lit night sky of the supermoon from onboard the yacht CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand during leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Itajai, Brazil, to Miami, USA, on Sunday, May 6, 2012.#

Wrangler Nate Cummins rides by moonlight, the night before the supermoon during Montana Horses' annual horse drive outside Three Forks, Montana, on May 4, 2012. The Mantle family, who own Montana Horses and who have have invited the public to witness horse drives for the last 11 years, are holding their last horse drive. Approximately 300 horses are rounded up and driven 35 miles from their winter range to the Mantle ranch over the course of three days. The horses are later picked up by leasers to be used as pack and trail horses at dude ranches and national parks.#

Buddhists walk around the Borobudur temple while carrying candles during Vesak Day, commonly known as "Buddha's birthday", at the Borobudur Mahayana Buddhist monument in Magelang, Indonesia, on May 6, 2012. Vesak is observed during the full moon in May or June and the ceremony centers around three Buddhist temples, whereby pilgrims walk from Mendut to Pawon, ending at Borobudur.#

Lanterns released by Buddhist worshipers fly as the full moon is seen in the background during a procession commemorating Vesak day, which marks the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha, at the 9th century Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, on May 6, 2012.#

Supporters of the presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto took to the streets of Jakarta, clashing violently with riot police, after his loss to incumbent President Joko Widodo was announced on Wednesday.